Should you use a math dictionary?

When it comes to what is fashionable in homeschooling, these days lap books, notebooking, lapbooking, whatever term you use, are definitely "in". I haven't seen much anything for math, though. And no, I haven't made any lapbooks either! But I do have an idea for one:

Let your child/student make their own math dictionary! Just make a new page in it every time there is a new concept or term to study. The student can write the term, write an explanation, an example calculation, or draw a picture of it − or all of those.

Making such a math vocabulary book shouldn't take lots of time, because you don't usually encounter new words every single lesson in a typical math curriculum. The rest of the time the book can act as a reference or as a review medium.

There is one exception though, and that is GEOMETRY. In geometry, just about all the time you have new terms to learn. In fact, a big part of the geometry in elementary grades is simply learning the meaning of words such as parallel, perpendicular, trapezoid, vertical angles, symmetry, diameter, radius, circumference, and so on.

I know; I've written a geometry book. In it, I encourage kids to make such a geometry notebook for themselves.

There also exist very nice already written math dictionaries:

1) Online dictionaries.

The two mentioned below complement each other, and are free!

Visual Mathematics Dictionary - includes definitions of terms, often with pictures, and links to related terms, which I think is a very nice feature.

A Maths Dictionary For Kids 2007 - this one explains the term and often has some kind of interactive activitiy you can do right on the site, such as converting Celsius to Fahrenheit, or draw triangles, color or click things.

2) Printed dictionaries

This handbook includes illustrated, concise explanations of the most common terms used in general math classes. The 400 illustrated definitions and examples are categorized by subjects that include ... measurement; algebra; geometry; fractions and decimals; statistics and probability; and problem solving. Each term has a concise definition and an example or illustration.

An A to Z list of some of the most common terms you'll hear in a math classroom.

The terms cover general arithmetic, geometry, algebra, graphing, probability, statistics, and much more. Advanced mathematical terms such as those used in calculus are not covered. Each definition is spelled out in plain terms, often with simple diagrams to illustrate, eliminating any confusion.

This reference has over 600 definitions and additional resources including tables, rules and symbols. Math terms are explained simply and visually with ample examples in two colors and clear, concise wording. Visual descriptions of many important concepts abound, including rules for finding area and volume, data representation, financial math, rational numbers equivalents, factors, figurative numbers, the international system, transformations, prime and composite numbers and much more.

Popular posts from this blog

I was just sent a link to this site; all it is, is a handy one-page printable conversion chart for various US measures, metric measures, and US vs. metric measures. Includes even a comparative Fahrenheit vs. Celsius thermometer.

I got inspired by the blogpost Art School | Geometric Design with Islamic Art where Deborah shows how to make a neat flower design with seven circles, using a compass, and then coloring it using 2, 3, or 4 colors (or however many of your own). I think it ties in neatly with mathematics, and lets students practice drawing circles with a compass.

My girls loved the art/math project. Here are pictures they made:

Here are step-by-step instructions for the flower design:

1. Draw a line and a circle so that the circle's center point is on the line. Then mark the points where this circle intersects the line.

2. Use those points as center points, and draw two more circles. The radius is the same all the time, so make sure you don't change it on your compass!We used 5 cm as the radius, and that made the whole design fit neatly on a regular letter size paper.

3. Now note the two points marked in the picture. They will be used as center points in the next step.

I got a question,"I am supposed to teach my calculus class one lesson. That lesson has to be on something that can be appliedto whatever I am hoping to major in. I am planning onstudying pre-med to become a doctor. Could you tellme how doctors apply math learned in calculus 1?"I suspect doctors don't actually use any calculus in their daily work with people. BUT, it is used in medical research and analysis.

For example, calculus concepts are applied in studying how medicines act in the body. I found an article called Half-life and Steady State that talks about how the patient might be taking a medication and all the same time the body is clearing the previous doses... Eventually there comes a "steady state" where the amount of "the amount of drug going in is the same as the amount of drug getting taken out."

QUOTEMany drug effects occur primarily when the blood level of the drug is either going up or going down. When the drug reaches steady state, the…